There are many reasons why I love being a part of non-denominational churches. One of the main reasons is that it reminds me that the church belongs to no man or group of people -- it belongs to Jesus. The church is the bride of Christ. He is our head and we are his body. I did not die in order for the church to be birthed; Jesus did. Just one more reason I love being non-denominational.
Read More
On this Easter afternoon, my mind went back to an old Dallas Holm song (how's that for going retro!). It's the song, "Rise Again," an appropriate song for Easter weekend. Here's the chorus: Cause I'll rise ... again; Ain't no power on earth can keep Me down! Yes, I'll rise ... again; Death can't keep Me in the ground. The promise of scripture is straight-forward: Because Jesus was raised to life, we, too, may life a new life (Romans 6:4). Death couldn't keep Jesus in the ground. What's holding you back? Is there a part of you that needs to rise again? Perhaps you've let go of a dream because it seemed impractical or the timing wasn't right. Is it time for that dream to rise again? Maybe you have a relationship that has been broken and needs to be restored, but neither party is willing to take the first…
Read More
"If you wish to enrich days, plant flowers; if you wish to enrich years, plant trees; if you wish to enrich eternity, plant ideals in the lives of others." -- S. Truett Cathy, founder Chick-fil-A
Read More
"For a leader, communication is connection and inspiration – not just transmission of information." -- Gary Burnison, The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership Most of may remember the basic definition of communication we learned in school: you have a sender and a receiver and information flows between the two. Communication has occurred if the transmission was successful. Along the way, we recognize the deficiencies in such a definition. If the receiver doesn't understand what the sender has said, no matter how often he or she says it, communication has not occurred. If the sender isn't listening, communication has not occurred. And, according to Gary Burnison, if the transmission of information is the only goal, communication has not occurred. Good leaders understand that one role of communication is to forge a connection with the listener. A good speech or conversation reinforces what the sender and receiver have in common. Leaders (or preachers or teachers) use…
Read More
Came across this great article on the Letters of Note blog. It's a letter C.S. Lewis wrote to a young fan, sharing Lewis' advice on how to write. This one applies whether you are writing or speaking: "Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. Don't implement promises, but keep them." As a writer or speaker, you must be clear about your goal: Is it to impress your audience or to communicate an idea to them? In the realm of preaching, our aim is to see lives transformed. This happens when people are given the best possible chance to hear and understand the truth of God's Word. The direct route is preferable to the long, vague one. If you do much writing or speaking (or are considering doing more), I'd encourage to read this article. ---------------------- If you've never seen the movie about C.S. Lewis, I'd recommend it. Click the picture…
Read More